Patent Application
20140339016
The present disclosure relates generally to fall restraint devices and systems. More particularly, the disclosure relates to fall restraint devices and systems for use with sloped roofs.
The need for fall restraint devices for people climbing on sloped roofs of buildings has long been recognized in order to provide roofers, building inspectors, homeowners and others a safe and secure way to work on a sloped roof. Also, government regulations typically stipulate that individuals working at height must be protected from falls. Typically, anchor devices are secured to the roof and support persons climbing on the roof by attached straps, ropes, or the like. These known roof anchors have generally involved legs that will fit over the peak of a roof and that are then secured in place with a penetrating fastener, such as nails. These roof anchors have included means for attaching a safety line that is then secured to belts or harnesses worn by persons climbing on the sloped roof.
Commonly used roof anchors require an invasive installation that damages the roof structure since the anchor fasteners must penetrate the roof in order to be attached. This can damage the water-tight integrity of the roof making this type anchor especially unsuited for a finished roof.
Installation of the roof anchors can also be dangerous for the worker to install since it typically requires a worker to carry tools and the anchors onto the roof when the worker is unprotected by a fall arrest system. Working at height to install an anchor without fall protection is also contrary to government regulation. Because of the size, weight, and bulkiness of known roof anchors it is difficult for users to carry them up ladders and pitched roofs or to re-position them on the roof. Also, the anchors are not easily moveable once installed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,246 to Beard describes a fall protection apparatus that includes a mast assembly, a cable support structure and a cable. The mast assembly is disposed between the ground and soffit to provide strength and stability, and the cable support structure is attached to the mast assembly. In the loaded condition, a soffit load bearing member and a roof load bearing member carry the load of the worker. In practice, the fall protection apparatus described by Beard is heavy, difficult to install or re-position and would typically require the worker use another form of fall protection during setup. The cable support structure described by Beard distributes the load mainly to the roof surface and also the soffit.
According to a first aspect, a slip-on cave brace device is provided for fall protection on a sloped roof, the slip-on eave comprising a soffit load distributing member; a vertical member coupled to the soffit load distributing member at one end portion of the vertical member and a sloped roof engaging member coupled to a second end portion of the vertical member, the sloped roof engaging member having a safety line attachment member fixed to the an opposing end portion of the sloped roof engaging member opposite the end coupled to the vertical member. In some aspects, the sloped roof engaging member is hingedly coupled to the vertical member to allow an angle between vertical member and sloped roof engaging member to be adjusted, and the slip-on cave brace further comprising a position lock to fix the angle between vertical member and sloped roof engaging member. In yet another aspect, the position lock further comprises a compressive adjustment mechanism to apply a compressive force between sloped roof engaging member and soffit load distributing member. In still yet another aspect, the slip-on cave brace of further comprises a friction member on a lower surface of the sloped roof engaging member.
According to a second aspect, a sloped roof fall arrest system is provided for fall protection to a worker on a sloped roof having eaves using an embodiment of the slip-on eave brace described herein, the system comprising the slip-on eave brace device coupled to one of the eaves; a safety line coupled to the safety line attachment member, and the safety line provided to a sloped roof surface opposing the eave; and a rope grab to fixedly couple the user to the safety line to provide fall protection on the sloped roof surface opposing the eave. In a related aspect, a sloped roof fall arrest system is provided at least two slip-on eave brace devices for coupling to opposing eaves of the sloped roof; a safety line connected between the safety line attachment members of the at least two slip-on eave brace devices; and a coupling mechanism to couple the user to the safety line to allow the user to have fall-protected travel on the sloped roof between the at least two slip-on eave brace devices. In some aspects, the coupling mechanism can be a carabiner.
For a better understanding of the various embodiments described herein and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings which show at least one exemplary embodiment, and in which:
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered appropriate, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, this description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein in any way, but rather as merely describing the implementations of various embodiments described herein.
Referring to
Although some embodiments may explicitly refer to the sloped roof of
Referring now to
A safety line attachment member 28 that is attached to an opposing end portion of sloped roof engaging member 26 opposite the end portion coupled to vertical member 24. Safety line attachment member 28 allows a safety line to be attached to slip-on eave brace 20. Safety line attachment member 28 is on an upper portion of sloped roof surface engaging member 26 opposite the portion coupled to vertical member 24. Safety line attachment member 28 is preferably disposed along roof surface 14 so that fall arrest forces are applied through the length of sloped roof surface engaging member 26 such that the fall arrest forces are applied to fascia 16 and soffit 18 by vertical member 24 and soffit load distributing member 22 respectively.
Slip-on eave brace 20 can easily be installed on eave 10 without any damage or penetration of the roof structure contrary to the roofing anchors currently in use that rely on fasteners, such as nails or screws, that penetrate roof surface 14. Slip-on eave brace 20 is illustrated having cut-outs to reduce the weight while maintaining the desired strength and flexibility. Preferably, slip-on eave brace 20 and all load bearing elements thereof have strength to resist a force of at least 8 kilo-Newtons (1,800 lbs.), or more preferably at least 22 kilo-Newtons (5,000 lbs.).
Slip-on eave brace 20 is illustrated in
Friction members 30 can include pads that are composed of a malleable material, such as rubber for example. Other examples can include rubberized-like material, such as belting or matting for example, that is secured to the lower surface of sloped roof engaging member 26 and/or the upper surface of soffit load distributing member 22. Other embodiments can include a hard piercing or rough grip that can be preferable for roofs covered with ice or snow. Friction members 30 can also be composed of fiberglass or composite materials for longevity. In other embodiments of slip-on eave brace 20, friction member 30 can comprise a coating with a rubber-like material to provide increased friction with the roof surface. Slip-on eave brace 20 can have holes that are defined in sloped roof engaging member 26 and/or soffit load distributing member 22 into which friction members 30 can be placed to allow different friction members 30 to be inserted for different roof surfaces or to replace worn friction members 30.
Slip-on eave brace 20 is designed to transfer fall arrest forces to eave 10 of a sloped roof. A workman on a sloped roof would be attached to the safety line that is coupled to safety line attachment member 28. Slip-on eave brace 20 provides fall protection to a worker on the roof surface across the peak of the roof from brace 20. In a fall event, fall arrest forces are transferred through the safety line to slip-on eave brace 20 in a direction upwards along roof surface 14 towards the peak of the roof. Slip-on eave brace 20 would then distribute those fall arrest forces to fascia 16 and soffit 18 of eave 10 through soffit load distributing member 22 and vertical member 24.
Although installation of slip-on eave brace 20 is non-invasive, damage may still occur to soffit 18 and fascia 16 in a fall event when fall arrest forces are applied to eave 10. Gutters can also be damaged in a fall event if attached to fascia 16. Typically, these roof elements can be easily repaired on the rare occasion that slip-on eave brace 20 arrests fall forces.
Soffit load distributing member 22 can be configured to be wide enough to apply forces to at least two rafters 12 underlying soffit 18 as the material of soffit 18 is typically not strong enough itself to resist the fall arrest forces. Traditional roofing designs typically space rafters 12 about 16 to 24 inches apart which leads to a preferable width of soffit load distributing member 22 of at least 32 inches. Preferably, soffit load distributing member 22 has a large surface area to more efficiently distribute fall arrest forces and minimize any potential damage to soffit 18.
Now referring to
In some embodiments of slip-on cave brace 20, herein referred to as clasping, the position lock can include a compressive adjustment mechanism that applies compressive forces to the cave after slip-on cave brace 20 has been placed onto cave 10 to maintain slip-on cave brace 20 in position. In other embodiments, herein referred to as non-clasping, the position lock may simply allow adjustment of the angle between vertical member 24 and sloped roof engaging member 26 to lock into a preferred angle, including a number of preset positions, that accommodates the roof slope prior to placing slip-on cave brace 20 on cave 10. An example of a position lock in a non-clasping embodiment can include a locking swivel.
A compressive adjustment mechanism 34 can also be used with a non-hinge embodiment of slip-on eave brace 20 as illustrated in
Referring to
Soffit load distributing member 22 can be comprised of a load bar 23 that transfers fall arrest loads applied to slip-on eave brace 20 into soffit 18. Preferably, load bar 23 has a sufficient length and surface area to safely distribute fall arrest forces into soffit 18. Dimensions of load bar 23 can vary but typically has a length of at least 32 inches to apply fall arrest forces to at least two rafters 12.
Under fall arrest forces in dual arm embodiments of slip-on eave brace 20, load bar 23 will also be subject to compression forces as frame elements of sloped roof surface engaging member 26 are forced to move inwards towards each other. Load bar 23 can have some flexibility to allow load bar 23 to absorb a portion of the fall arrest forces. Load bar 23 can also be comprised of a shock absorber 25, as shown in
A collapsible dual-arm embodiment of slip-on eave brace 20 is illustrated in
Referring to
Referring now to
The simplest embodiment of sloped roof fall arrest system 100 can be comprised of a single slip-on eave brace 120 having a safety line 122 attached thereto via safety line attachment member 124. A single brace system provides fall protection to a worker attached to the safety line on the sloped roof surface opposing the eave to which the brace is attached. In the example shown in
Sloped roof fall arrest system 100 can provide fall protection on both sides of peak 116 using opposing slip-on eave braces that are coupled by a safety line between opposing north and south eaves 113, 115. An example embodiment is provided in
Safety line 134 can be kept taut to help secure north and south eave braces 130, 132 to sloped roof 110. Safety line 134 can be simply tied to maintain a desired tension, or other embodiments of sloped roof fall arrest system 100 can incorporate a tensioning device to apply the desired tension to the safety line 134. For example, a ratcheting rope tensioner can be used to apply tension to safety line 134. Other embodiments could further include a tension indicator that could be incorporated with the tensioning device or separately in-line with safety line 134 that can indicate whether safety line 134 has sufficient tension. Preferred tension is enough to ensure that north and south eave braces 130, 132 are engaged with their respective eaves but not enough to damage soffit 18 from tension in safety line 134.
Sloped roof fall arrest system 100 can also provide travel restraint to limit a worker's travel just far enough to reach the edge of sloped roof 110 although not far enough to fall over. Safety line attachment member 28 can comprise a restraint sling 136 that extends from slip-on eave brace 130 to provide an extension for coupling with safety line 134. The safety line coupling element of restraint sling 136 is large enough to prevent a carabiner from traveling from safety line to the restraint sling 136. The combined distance of restraint sling 136 and distance of sloped roof engaging member 26 from the roof edge will allow the worker to match that distance with a lanyard of equivalent length. This can help ensure that the worker is limited from going beyond the roof edge while connected to safety line 134.
Unlike other fall arrest schemes, sloped roof fall arrest system 100 provides fall protection during the setup process. Most jurisdictions allow a worker to access and egress a roof top while unprotected but require that the worker is protected while working, including setting up a fall protection system. In order to install sloped roof fall arrest system 100 a worker would place first slip-on brace 130 onto the eave of sloped roof 110 while on a ladder prior to accessing the roof. The worker would attach the lanyard of the worker's safety harness to safety line 134 (already attached to safety line attachment member 28) using a rope grab. The rope grab should be aligned toward peak 116 and north side 114 of roof 110. Next the worker accesses roof 110 and simply walks upwards over peak 116 of sloped roof 110 and is protected while working on north side 114 of sloped roof 110 opposite slip-on brace 130. Once past peak 116 the worker is fully protected and can begin working on north side 114 or install north eave brace 132. Since north eave brace 132 does not require any tools to install, the worker does not need to carry additional tools when accessing sloped roof 110.
Fall protection is also provided while eave braces are removed from the eave or relocated on the eave. For example, fall protection is provided to allow north eave brace 132 to be moved along northern eave 115 or removed so long as the worker is connected to safety line 134 coupled to south eave brace 130.
To leave roof 110, the worker can descend from peak 116 towards southern eave 113, access the ladder and then remove south eave brace 130 once on the ladder. The worker would not be fall protected when descending from peak 116, however, fall protection is not typically required in this situation as the worker is in transit and leaving the roof.
Alternative slip-on brace designs are also illustrated in
Another feature illustrated in
While the exemplary embodiments have been described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and scope of the claims is to be accorded an interpretation that encompasses all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/369,499 filed Feb. 9, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13369499 | Feb 2012 | US |
| Child | 14294342 | US |
